Getting the most value out of your next new truck
Hyundai recently announced the end of the Santa Cruz, which means the Ford Maverick will soon be the only small truck left on the market. The base Maverick XL starts at $28,145, which undercuts larger midsize pickups, like the 2026 Chevrolet Colorado WT, available from $32,400, by a good margin. There’s quite a few differences between these trucks outside of price and segment. If you’re in the market for a new truck on a tight budget, check out the differences between the Maverick XL and Colorado WT before you buy.
Ford
Chevrolet
The Maverick features a hybrid powertrain
The 2026 Ford Maverick XL comes powered by a standard 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor that combine for 191 horsepower. A CVT sends power to the front wheels in the base configuration. With front-wheel drive, the Maverick XL earns up to 42 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway. You can opt for all-wheel drive, but you’ll need to upgrade equipment packages as well, which will cost you an additional $2,220.
Ford
The base Ford Maverick can also be optioned with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. That powertrain delivers 250 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. Opting for the more powerful engine drops fuel economy to 22 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. Foregoing the hybrid powertrain lowers the base Maverick XL’s price to $27,145. With the more powerful engine, you can upgrade to an all-wheel drivetrain for an additional $1,000.
Regardless of powertrain, the Maverick can tow up to 2,000 lbs. Adding the optional tow package increases that capability to 4,000 lbs., but you’ll cost you $3,760 on top of the base model’s price.
Chevrolet
The Chevrolet Colorado WT starts at $4,000 more than the base Maverick XL, but it offers higher performance and more capability as a tradeoff. Under the hood lies a 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that pumps out 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque. An eight-speed automatic gearbox sends power to the rear wheels in standard configurations. The Colorado earns up to 19 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.
Opting for four-wheel drive increases the Colorado WT model’s price by another $3,300. When equipped with the advanced trailering package, a $945 upgrade, the Colorado can tow up to 7,700 lbs. Otherwise, the midsize pickup is limited to a 3,500-lbs. maximum towing capacity.
The Maverick and Colorado share similar configurations
The 2026 Ford Maverick and Chevrolet Colorado are exclusively available in crew cab form with slightly different bed lengths. While the Maverick rocks a 4.5-foot bed, the Colorado gets a 5.5-foot bed. Both trucks ride on 17-inch wheels with black grilles that keep styling true to base form. While the Maverick gets LED headlights, however, the base Colorado WT sticks with halogen lighting. If you’re interested in vehicle design, make sure to head over to Road Ethos!
Ford
As you’d expect of a base model, neither the Maverick XL nor the Colorado WT have particularly impressive interiors. Cloth seats come standard, as does single-zone climate control. The Colorado gets front windows with express-down functionality, while the Maverick’s one-touch down is limited to the driver window.
In terms of tech, the Maverick offers 13.2-inch touchscreen and eight-inch cluster gauge displays. The Colorado comes equipped with a smaller 11.3-inch touchscreen display paired with an 11-inch driver information center. Both trucks get two front USB ports, a six-speaker audio system, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
Chevrolet
You’d think the midsize Chevy Colorado WT would have more interior space than the Maverick, but the dimensions are actually pretty similar. Both models offer 40.2 inches of front headroom, but Ford’s small truck offers 39.6 inches of second-row headroom versus the Colorado’s 38.3 inches. Chevy’s midsize pickup wins handily in front legroom, offering just shy of 45.2 inches versus the Maverick’s 42.8 inches. The Maverick does offer slightly more rear legroom, though, at 35.9 inches versus 34.7 inches.
Final thoughts
Ford
Considering interior space, comfort, and tech offerings are similar, choosing between the 2026 Ford Maverick XL and Chevrolet Colorado WT ultimately comes down to your capability needs. While the 2026 Ford Maverick XL costs $4,000 less than the Chevrolet Colorado WT, you’ll have to compromise on towing capacity and bed length. If you regularly haul trailers or other heavy loads, then the Colorado’s higher trailering capability might make it the better pick. That’s not to mention the Colorado has a slightly larger bed that could prove useful to contractors and DIYers alike. If you decide you don’t really need a truck, consider SUVs like the GMC Terrain instead.
About the author
Joseph Pudlewski
Contributing Writer, Autoblog